Combined clothes drier and canopy



Oct. 4, W49. H. M. LEWIS I COMBINED CLOTHES DRIER AND CANOPY Fiied June 18, 1.945v

NVENTOR A TTORNE Y Patented Oct. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to a combined clothes drier and canopy and has for its principal object, to combine with a collapsible outdoor clothes drying frame or rack, a cover canopy, preferably of fabric and further, to provide simple, and easily operated means for drawing the canopy into a compacted body above the supporting post of the structure when the same is in use as a clothes drier and to draw said cover over the entire top of the frame, thus providing, in effect, a lawn umbrella or canopy of considerable size.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved clothes drier and canopy with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken approximately on the line 2-2, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section on the line 3-3, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 4-4, of Fig. 1.

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views showing modified arrangements of cords for opening and closing the canopy.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I designates a post or standard, preferably, a metal pipe, the lower end of which is removably positioned in a block I l of concrete, set in the ground.

Mounted to slide on post 40, is a short sleeve l2 carrying a set screw l3, by means of which said sleeve may be clamped to said post and pivoted at l4, to the upper end of said sleeve, is a plurality, preferably four, radial arms E of wood.

Strung through. apertures in arms H5 in ced parallel relation, is a cord or cable Hi, from which laundered articles may be suspended while drying. The outer ends of arms l5, are provided with short horizontal slots and arranged for rotation therein are pulleys l1.

Seated on the upper end of post I0, is a flanged collar I8, to the flange of which are pivotally connected, the inner ends of wire rods l9, practically inflexible and the outer ends thereof, are pivotally secured to the outer ends of arms 15, preferably to the axes of pulleys (see Fig. 1).

When the structure is set up for use, sleeve i2 is positioned on post In, a short distance below collar l8, so that arms l5 gradually incline toward their outer ends and rods [0 gradually decline toward their outer ends.

Mounted on collar I8, is a sectional frame 20, in which are journaled four pairs of pulleys 2|, arranged as shown in Fig. 3.

A canopy or cover 22 overlies the frame work comprising rails I5 and rods l 9 and secured to the underside of said canopy, are radially disposed rows of rings 23, through each row of which passes one of the rods IS.

The outer ends of the members of a pair of cords 24, are connected to the outer ring of each set, one cord of each pair passing around the corresponding pulley l'i, with both cords extending inwardly and passing over a pair of the pulleys 2! thence downward. alongside post It By pulling downward on the depending portions of those cords 24 which pass around pulleys 2| the outer rings 23 of each set are drawn outwardly on rods l9, thereby spreadin the canopy over the frame work of the structure and when the other four cords are pulled, the outer four rings will be drawn inward on rods l9, thus folding the canopy into compacted form above flanged collar 58 and the central portion of the framework.

In Figs. 4- and 5 I have shown a modified arrangement whereby the four cords 24 which are pulled to fold or compact the canopy pass over four pulleys 25, arranged on one side of collar l 8, with the lower ends of said cords connected to a single depending pull cord 26 and the other four cords used in opening the canopy, pass over a second set of four pulleys 21 and are connected to a single depending pull cord 28.

By withdrawing post ID from block 1 l and moving sleeve !2 downward on said post, the entire structure may be collapsed and compactly folded, so as to occupy comparatively little space while in storage, or during transportation.

The canopy 22 may be lowered over the frameto fade when exposed to sunlight are bein dried. The canopy, when opened over the framework, provides a shaded area of considerable size on the lawn.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a combined clothes drier and canopy that is simple in structure, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved clothes drier and canopy, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

In a combined clothes drier and canopy, a post, a collar secured to the upper end of the post, a sleeve arranged for sliding movement on the post below said collar, means for clamping said sleeve to said post in differently adjusted positions, radial arms pivoted at their inner ends to said sleeve the outer end of each arm being provided with a vertical slot, pulleys journalled in the slots in said arms, radial rods having their inner ends pivotally connected to said collar with their outer ends pivoted to the outer ends of said arms which rods are in the same vertical plane with said arms, a plurality of rings forming a set arranged for sliding movement on each rod, a, frame on said collar, pulleys mounted for rotation on said frame, cords passing over said last mentioned pulleys and around the pulleys in the outer ends of said arms, said cords being connected to the outer ring of each set and a canopy covering said rods and arms and connected to said rings.

HARRY M. LEWIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

